Dear John,

Below is my latest update on the response to the Coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic locally. As we come to the end of another week for many in lockdown, to all those celebrating I wish you a Happy Easter or a good Yom Tov. For the Jain community, I hope that this week, you have been able to commemorate Mahavir Jayanti in your own meaningful way.

This month sees some of the holiest dates in the calendars of the three Abrahamic faiths. Perhaps for the first time, adherents will not be able to meet to pray, celebrate or worship together. Yet, religious communities and many secular groups are working harder than ever to ensure those impacted by the coronavirus are being supported. We can see the positive results not in crowded churches, temples, synagogues or mosques but in the thousands of acts of individual kindness and compassion that are happening around us every day. This e-mail features some of the incredible efforts of local organisations like Harrow VCS working together with the council, My Yard, London Community Kitchen and many others. It is easy to get involved and provide support but hopefully, just as easy to seek assistance if you are in need. I hope you continue to stay safe, stay indoors and regularly check in on loved ones, Again, in the warm weather, do make sure you take the opportunity to walk or jog through one of Harrow’s glorious green spaces. 

To our doctors, nurses, healthcare assistants, cleaners, paramedics, lab technicians, porters, scientists, teachers, refuse collectors, supermarket staff, delivery drivers and all other key workers the nation is relying on during this crisis: thank you.

I continue to update my website – covering where to find support, keep safe and assist local people in Harrow. If you have anything you would like to me to feature in this update please send me an e-mail with the subject “Covid-19 newsletter” and be sure to share this message with friends, family, neighbours and local businesses in order to strengthen our collective response to COVID-19. The response to Coronavirus is being directed by Government centrally working with Public Health England, the Government’s advice is available here . Government assistance specifically for businesses is available here . 

As always, if you ever need to get in touch about the issues covered here – or anything else – please contact my office on 0207 219 4243 or e-mail me at [email protected]. Please bear with us, as we have received over 5 times our usual weekly amount of correspondence. My team and I are working hard to respond as promptly as possible. Although we have had to cancel face to face surgery appointments, we are now scheduling regular Zoom surgeries and phone calls with Harrow West constituents. 

A lovely notice in Rayners Lane; please share some of your favourite signs of support when you see them.

Northwick Park

A lot of attention has been on Northwick Park Hospital again this week as it continues to cope with the covid-19 crisis. The London Borough of Brent has had the highest number of covid-19 cases in London so far, with 958 recorded as of 10 April. Harrow has had 610.

Last month, national newspapers released photos of three nurses at the hospital wearing bin bags on their heads and feet due to the lack of protective gear. The same nurses were later confirmed to have tested positive for Covid-19 – according to a spokesperson for London North West University Health Care NHS Trust. As I state in this Harrow Times article, it’s impossible not to feel deep concern for the nurses and their families, and anger that they were left so exposed.

This is an issue I had been raising since before parliament was adjourned and  I will be seeking further reassurance from Ministers about the supply of personal protection equipment for all the staff at Northwick Park. The situation in terms of supplies of ppe has, I’m told, improved significantly at Northwick Park but is still not perfect and I will not stop campaigning for those on front line - the Department of Health must hear our concerns on gowns and PPE. I have also repeatedly raised concerns about testing. The numbers of health staff being tested is expanding with GPs and other primary care staff now receiving access to tests when needed, but access for care home staff is still not yet in place, as there isn’t enough national capacity yet to allow this to happen. I will continue to push to ensure there is expansion in testing for care home staff in Harrow.

VCS Feeding Harrow

Over the last two weeks, I have been in contact with representatives of Morrisons, Tesco’s and Waitrose to support the efforts to feed our most vulnerable. The VCS network are continuing their incredible work, having delivered nearly 3000 vital food parcels to vulnerable residents across Harrow alongside the joint multi-agency work between the council, Voluntary Community Sector (VCS), Morrisons (Hatch End), Waitrose (South Harrow), Tesco, Harrow Community Transport (HCT), The Bridge, My Yard, The Breaking Bread Trust, Harrow School and others. 

I am really grateful to the hugely positive response to my requests for help from our local supermarkets and a huge thanks to their staff and management for the calm and diligent way they are managing our food ‘visits’; respecting social distancing rules and keeping the shelves (mostly) stocked. While it’s a deeply challenging time for many of us, it is encouraging to see this strong support from our local community. The Government are supplying the council with a list of vulnerable residents, in addition to this, people are being added to this list through the council’s coronavirus hotline. Harrow Giving has set up a fund to support front line organisations that are working with the affected communities, if you are able to donate, please do here, as you can see, it will continue to support the local response.

Parliament

Parliament is still in recess but, as with every recess, the work does not stop. Important work continues as the Government responds to the Covid-19 pandemic. I echo the call from party leaders to recall Parliament at this crucial time.

When Parliament returns later this month, whether this will be in the physical or digital realm, I am honoured to have been invited by Keir Starmer and Emily Thornberry to re-join the frontbench as a member of the Shadow International Trade team. There is an important job to be done in scrutinising the Government’s plans to ensure businesses will recover from the impact of Covid-19 and to begin winning the export orders crucial to the good jobs, incomes and tax revenues that our country desperately needs.

The full shadow front bench can be found here.  

This week I joined a number of other MPs from across the House to campaign on various issues:

Student nurse debt – Over 5,500 student nurses from 35 universities have signed up to a paid placement in response to the crisis. This week, I joined over 80 Labour MPs in calling on Ministers to cancel the student nurse debt as a first step for those that have responded to the call to join our NHS frontline early. No student should have ever been put in a position to incur such debts while training to care for people and save lives. This can be read here. 

Support for charities – In joining hundreds of MPs from across Parliament last month, we made a plea for urgent action to be taken to support charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprises especially at this crucial time of helping the national response against coronavirus. This can be read here.  This week, the Government have announced £750m to be made available to front line charities, this intervention is welcome but falls short of the £4.3bn to support the charity and voluntary sector across the country. Much more will need to be done in weeks to come.

British Nationals in Pakistan – Following the urgent letter last week calling on the Foreign & Commonwealth Office to urgently repatriate British Nationals stuck in India. I have joined writing to the Foreign Secretary about the dire situation for those British nationals who are stranded in Pakistan. This can be read here. 

Harrow Council

The council has a webpage covering their own response, this is regularly being updated and is available here .

Finding employment

The council have a new webpage featuring a number of job and voluntary opportunities here. From delivery drivers, on-line assistants, stock room and sales assistants to cleaners, there are a number of supermarkets in Harrow and the surrounding areas (Ruislip, Watford, Uxbridge) recruiting extra temporary part/full time staff to start immediately.

The Coronavirus Hardship Fund

In response to the Coronavirus pandemic, the Government have allocated funds to local councils in the form of a Hardship grant to support residents financially impacted by the Coronavirus. A reminder, if you're financially impacted by this crisis, make an application here: www.harrow.gov.uk/hardshipfund

Coronavirus Hotline

The council have set up a hotline telephone number to support the most vulnerable people in Harrow, if you are in need of support due to the COVID-19 crisis please give the hotline a call - 0208 901 2698

Met Police

Currently, across the whole of London, the police are seeing a decline in offences which is also being replicated in Harrow. As expected, the volume of foot fall is dramatically down in the town centre, compliance with social distancing is good and shops are saying that they are able to spot potential thieves a lot easier. 

The police are, however, seeing a rise in ASB calls, with the majority of this increase in ASB calls being linked to COVID. For example, people largely calling to report non-compliance of government directions. The police are glad to say that the vast majority of our community are embracing the guidelines from the government and Public Health England. Across the bank holiday weekend, the police will continue to have officers on patrol across all 4 days. 

This week, the first intervention of new Shadow Home Secretary, Nick Thomas-Symonds, was to call on the Govt to find funds for organisations that run “frontline” domestic abuse services. The UK’s biggest charities dealing with the issue have reported increased demand for helplines and online advice. 

Domestic abuse is historically an under-reported crime and victims may now feel even more isolated with less opportunity to access help and support. With this in mind, the police are now publicising more information that will help and support communities. 

If you are experiencing domestic abuse, or you know a friend, relative or neighbour who you think is at risk, call the police right away. In an emergency, always call 999 – high harm domestic abuse calls will continue to be prioritised. The 24/7 National Domestic Abuse helpline, which offers support to victims and people affected by domestic abuse, is free to call on 0808 2000 247. Harrow Council has a webpage set up specifically to find support across Harrow and London here.

Can you provide support?

Voluntary Action Harrow, Young Harrow foundation and Harrow Community Action continue to work with Harrow Council to help coordinate a Harrow wide response to the Coronavirus outbreak and a database is being compiled of people who are willing to volunteer. Voluntary Action Harrow are using this database to inform people of organisations looking for volunteers. Please sign up here:  https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/CoronavirusHarrow

Spare room?

Last week, my office were able to match key workers with free rooms for those with family or housemates self-isolating. If you are able to temporarily offer a spare room to a key worker currently unable to be at home due to a family member or a housemate self-isolating, please get in touch with my office by e-mailing [email protected] with subject “spare room”.

Finding Support

Do you have a medical condition that makes you vulnerable? Please register.

A reminder, if you think you fall into a category that makes you vulnerable to coronavirus – register with the Government here. For example, you’ll be able to ask for help getting deliveries of essential supplies like food. The council has just started to receive this information and are working with local organisations to provide support to those who apply.

If you’re not sure whether your medical condition makes you extremely vulnerable, register anyway. This service is free. You can register yourself, or on behalf of someone else.

Coronavirus Scams - The Government are advising the public to be extra vigilant and be wary of scams related to Covid-19, please read the Government's guidance here - https://www.gov.uk/government/news/be-vigilant-against-coronavirus-scams

A COVID-19 Community Support group has been set-up, coordinating action within WhatsApp groups for every ward in Harrow in order to provide support to local residents – you are welcome to  join the Facebook group here  and if you are not a Facebook member but would like to join your ward’s WhatsApp group – e-mail [email protected] with your postcode and the coordinators will add you to the correct group.

St Mary’s Church - If you are in need of support or company – a visit (where possible), a telephone call, help with shopping etc. St. Mary’s would like you to get in contact. You can do this in a variety of ways via the Church Office. The Office is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays 9am – 2pm but the messages will be checked daily.

Email: [email protected], Tel: 020 8423 4014 (answerphone: leave your contact details)

Harrow Central Mosque – Harrow Mosque is providing a free food and essentials transport service to elderly and vulnerable people in Harrow who require assistance with medical collection or other essentials – Call or SMS: 07874869484 E-mail: [email protected]

Help from me 

I appreciate that whilst this outbreak of Covid-19 is currently dominating a lot of our thoughts, other concerns and problems do not disappear. However, to help reduce the spread of infection, I am asking members of the public who need to contact my office to do so by phone or email rather than in person and further, I will continue to hold surgery appointments exclusively by telephone and Zoom video conferencing. This is a temporary measure and a sensible precaution to protect vulnerable people. Please be assured we continue to offer a full service of advice and support to members of the public who need it.

As always, my office can be contacted on [email protected] or by telephone on 0207 219 4243 (Monday-Friday).

Stay at home and save lives.

Best wishes,

Gareth